Coming Back
by GGADDICT22
Summary: What if Tristan came back? Could he still have a chance with the one girl who got away? Or has too much time passed? Set in Rory's second year at Yale. Chap 4 up!
1. Reentrance

Yay!!! A new story. I must say though that this is my most exciting story every because now I have footnotes. Well actually a footnote, but I'm still proud.

It was stupid to be doing this. No, it was more than that it was ridiculous, heedless, and downright pathetic. After all this time she might not even remember me at all. Four years of life have transpired between then and now. And closing that chasm, interrupting her life with another inept attempt at charm? Was beyond dishonorable, hell it was downright despicable. But still there he sat waiting to gather the courage to enter her life again. _But you're different now,_ a voice sang inside his head. Well at least that was true, if nothing else.

He sat by the coffee cart knowing that she would eventually find her way here. (And knowing her probably sooner rather than later.) Berating himself for coming, whilst knowing that it didn't change the fact that he was here. And here he would remain until she forced him back out. It was a thought that weighed heavily on him constricting him to near breathlessness. Then seemly out of nowhere she was there. Like an apparition of both his worst fears and greatest hopes.

She had her back turned to him, chatting amiably with the man preparing her drink. She wore a black peacoat over a skirt and boots. Her hair was shorter, hanging slightly above her shoulders. And still the most amazingly beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Tristan stood from the bench he had occupied all afternoon and waited patiently for her to turn around. So unsure of what her reaction might be. Endless moments seemed to pass by as Rory exchanged money and a few more words with the man. Finally after what seemed an eternity she turned.

"Mary..." Tristan said calmly as a wide grin spread over his handsome features. Her head moved quickly, at the sound of a long forgotten nickname. Searching for the person who had spoken. Knowing instantly but still not quite believing. Her eyes finally coming to rest on none other than Tristan Dugrey. The last person she'd ever thought she'd see again. But there he was smiling at her with that all to familiar mocking grin that had always both irritated and challenged her.

"Tristan?" She said hesitantly, still dazed that after all this time here he was standing in front of her as though he'd never left.

"One and the same. I know I know your so blinded by my striking good looks that your speechless. It's okay it seems to happen a lot." He said as hint of laughter crept into his voice. Tristan was shocked by how different she looked. Still as beautiful as always, with the same entrancing blue eyes. But older somehow, her face now lacking that endearing innocence that he'd come to know so well.

"Hardly, just shocked that your still as much of a vain immature jerk as you were the last time I saw you." Rory replied falling back easily into their age old repartee, as she took her first sip of coffee.

"Ahhh... that hurts." Tristan said placing a hand over his heart in a weak attempt at anguish. "bon Dieu, is that any way to treat an old friend?"

Old friend? Tristan? Hardly, he'd infuriated her and made a hellish time of her fist year at Chilton. Though for reasons she had yet to comprehend she'd missed him sorely when he was gone. Tristan had been her rival, her sparring partner, and sadly at times one of the best friends she'd ever had in the staid ivory halls of Chilton.

"And to think I was going to let you show me around my new school!" Tristan said impishly. He was secretly both surprised and gleeful by the easy way she had accepted him. He had originally assumed she would be annoyed by his sudden reentrance into her life. But on the contrary she seemed to be pleased to see him.

"What makes you think I'd want to show a cad like you around. Why it might ruin my spotless reputation." Rory answered laughing. How she missed this. Being with Tristan was escapism of the best kind. In just their brief conversation she'd slipped back into the ghost of the person she had been when she had last known him. The old Rory. The one who compulsively made lists and knew where she stood. The Rory who would never dream of debasing herself to the point that she actually believed that all she was worth was a couple of hours of rough and tumble between the sheets with a rich playboy.

Tristan could see a shadow cross her face. Turmoil thick in her eyes. Attempting to lighten the mood best he could. "Oh pssh we both know that your reputation could only be enhanced by being seen with the likes of me."

Rory rolled her eyes. Pushing the unpleasant thoughts from her mind as best she could. "Wait a minute...your new school? As in Yale?" She said as the wheels turned rapidly in her mind.

"But of course. I transferred here to finish out my college degree. How could I resist the urge to spend out the rest of my college days basking in the wonder that could only be known as Rory Gilmore." Tristan said only half mocking.

"Now to celebrate my gallant return into your life I think its only natural that we celebrate." He said before she had the chance to respond to his last remark. " I vote we grab a beer at ye old public house."

Rory smiled at his seemingly abundant energy, something she was sorely lacking these days. Allowing herself only a moment to wonder about what Logan would think. How mad he'd be if he saw this exchange. But he laid no claim to her. In fact he himself was the reason they were not exclusive. " Sure," she said dropping her now empty cup into the garbage. "As long as you keep two feet of distance between us at all times."

He laughed freely, tipping his head back, relieved that she had agreed. But he had not missed that cloud that had yet again fallen over her face like a heavy shroud. "Ahhh still afraid of my most masculine presence are we?"

"Yeah that's it." She replied rolling her eyes as she began to walk in the direction of the bar. "More like I'd like to keep the sexual assault to a minimum for tonight."

As the pair walked a companionable silence fell over them. Both completely lost in their own thoughts. Rory, herself was struck by the difference in Tristan. Sure he still maintained his flirtatious charm, that confidence that was so inherently him. But somehow in the four years since she'd last seen him, he'd lost his smug arrogance. He seemed somehow more mature, more adult. Less like the spawn of Satan she once had known.

Their walk was a quick one before the couple knew it they had arrived at the pub that laid just off campus. It was a noisy place, as most college bars were. Filled with the sounds of billiard balls clacking, loud conversation, and a football game on TV. The two eventually found a table near the back to sit.

"So tell me what's happened since the night of the play?" Rory asked after just a few moments of silence. "I mean one minute were searching like crazy to find you...and the next your telling me goodbye."

"Well . . . after I said goodbye to you, my father put me on a plane and sent me to a military school." Tristan started simply, not quite knowing how to begin his little tale or really how much of it she'd want to know. Rory smiled warmly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, trying her best to be reassuring.

"At first . . . " he started again, "I hated it. Resented everything and everyone around me. I convinced myself that I didn't need to deal with the constant barrage of what I considered to be absolute bullshit." Rory felt herself leaning forward totally consumed by the story that Tristan was slowly unfurling. Knowing instinctively that the tale he was telling was inherently vital.

"But eventually I began to realize how much I needed a place like that. The school allowed me to start over completely. Suddenly it was a level playing field. It didn't matter to anyone who my father was, or how much money I had." Tristan said smiling for the first time since the narrative began. "When I screwed up no one was there to make amends for me. And I couldn't believe how good it felt."

As the story continued Rory could help but be proud of the man Tristan had become. He was so much more adult, so much more sure of himself, and in a way that seemed neither cocky, nor arrogant. Though it hurt a little to see him so strong and capable, when she herself felt so adrift. It was truly ironic, appearing that in the four years since they had last seen each other that there had been some major role reversal. It was an unsettling feeling to say the least.

Suddenly the couple was jolted from their conversation by a waitress asking there order. "Just coffee for me please." Rory said barely looking up from Tristan's face.

Tristan grinned at her order but decided not to comment "Kilian's red, please." he said pleasantly.

When they received there drinks Tristan asked, "So what about you? Why are you here at Yale instead of the hallowed halls of Harvard?"

"Well I got accepted to both," Rory said blushing slightly, " So I made a list and Yale came out on top."

"Ahhh yes can't defeat the cold hard logic of a pro con list." He said teasingly as he took a sip from his beer.

"Hey don't mock my lists," Rory answered resisting the urge to stick out her tongue.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He replied smirking

"What ever happened to Dean?" He asked desperate to unravel the enigma that was the new Rory.

She winced ever so slightly, that was a topic she usually avoided at all costs. Thoughts of Dean always crept up late at night. When the jaded wall she had built up was lowered slightly. Allowing a flood of painful memories to squander what was left of the person she used to be.

Tristan knew he had hit a nerve with his question and was about to change the subject when she spoke. "We stayed together after you left, but it was odd. It felt like we were different people trying to hold on to something that no longer existed." She paused and took a drink, "But inevitably we ended, " Rory said shrugging.

He could tell that there was more to the story then what she was telling. But didn't push, though his need to know what had changed her was overwhelming. A poignant silence felling over the two. Neither knowing what to say, grasping dangerously for a safe subject.

Rory's eyes suddenly widened like a deer caught in the headlights. Tristan could hear footsteps behind him, but dared not turn.

And then a voice from behind him said "Hi I'm Logan, and you are?"

A/N

bon Dieu: French for good God

Suprised by another lame attempt by me to force Rory and Tristan together? Prorbaly not. First thank you for reading and I promise to be you best friend if you review!

P.S. I need a beta if you can't tell by my horrible grammar, anyone interested? I'll give you a cookie


	2. Expectations and Bar Talk

A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed my story. You're amazing and remind me to give you your gold stars later.

Rory's eyes suddenly widened like a deer caught in the headlights. Tristan could hear footsteps behind him, but dared not turn.

And then a voice from behind him said "Hi I'm Logan, and you are?"

Tristan felt himself smiling despite himself as he said, "Tristan Dugrey, nice to meet you." He said extending his hand stiffly. Logan shook it with more force than was necessary, before sitting down next to Rory.

Smirking Logan said, "Ahh I thought you looked familiar. The notorious black sheep of the Dugrey family." He then wrapped his arm around Rory with a pathetic attempt at nonchalance."Tell me how did you ever get the courage to tell your family to go to hell and walk away from all that money?" High society in Hartford, was much like any other, everyone knew everyone. If not personally then by name at least. Pedigree's were worn proudly like some sort of suite of armor. Good news traveled quickly in such a exclusive club, but bad new moved with such a speed that it seemed almost instantaneous.

_Next time why don't you just go for the jugular directly_, Tristan thought "Because I decided that being my own person was more important than anything money could buy." Not completely able to resist the urge to dig at Logan a bit. The threesome could feel the atmosphere around the table shift from controlled, falsely pleasant, to somewhat more caustic and real.

Logan's arrogant grin faltered slightly. This was a situation that was entirely new to him, people usually took his rude words without comment. He wasn't sure exactly what he'd walked in on. And was not pleased in the slightest by Rory's new 'friend'. "So _Ace _how do you know Tristan?" Logan asked, deciding it was best at least for now to ignore Tristan's slight. His words were thick with implications leaving little doubt of what his thoughts were.

"Well we went to Chilton together," Rory said bothered by Logan's innocent boyfriend act. It was one that came up all to often and was hard to disregard. Gently she felt herself shrugging off his arm, as though the possessive weight of it were too much. "And as it turns out he transferred here to finish out his degree." As she raised her cup to her mouth finishing what was left of her coffee.

Logan knew instantly that Tristan's move here was not a matter of happenstance. One look at that carefully blank face and he knew. Knew that Tristan was here for one purpose and one purpose only. And smirked at the thought of a battle for Rory, he knew that she was already his, but Tristan would prove to be an interesting competitor.

Tristan wanted badly to laugh at the look on Logan's face, but took a pull from his beer instead.Overconfident. That was Logan in one word. Sure of himself in a way that only a lifetime without resistance could produce. Every move he made was one made with self assurance and haughtiness. He knew Logan so well, because hell a few years ago they could have passed for the same person.

He wondered how Rory could have fallen for such an asshole. "Well Logan, I'm sorry to say but Rory promised to show me around a bit before it got too late, so I guess I'll see you around." Tristan said uttering these words more like a challenge then anything else.

Rory though acutely aware of not having made such a promise stood up gratefully. Glad to get away from the terse cloud that had enveloped the table.

"Undoubtedly." Logan said dryly as he stood up and helped Rory put her jacket back on. "Call me later okay?" He said shooting a meaningful look at Tristan. Before pulling Rory in for a forceful, dominating kind of kiss. The kiss shouted that she was his and his alone.

When Rory broke away she glowered at Logan leaving little doubt that she knew exactly why he had kissed her. Blushing, she turned toward Tristan and extended her hand. If Logan was going to be difficult, than so would she.

Tristan took it with a knowing smile, as she led them out of the bar. He could feel Logan's death glare boring into his back as they walked away.

As soon as the couple disappeared behind the doors Logan flagged down a waitress and ordered a beer knowing it would not be the last one he drank tonight.

"I'm sorry about that," Rory said shooting Tristan an apologetic glance as they entered the brisk night air. Tristan knew that this hadn't been the first act of machismo that Rory had dealt with from Logan.

"It's okay, but can I ask you something?" Tristan said hesitantly. He felt her release his hand at these words as if she knew what was coming.

"Sure, I guess." Rory said deliberately averting her eyes.

"How can you deal with that? I mean, when we were in highschool you absolutely detested arrogance and egotism. No offence but he seems to be the king of both." He asked. As they began to wander aimlessly in the general direction of the dorms. The night air was cold, but not uncomfortably so. The world around them was muted, the only constant noise was the clack of Rory's boots against the macadam, and the two's hushed voices.

Rory wasn't precisely sure how to answer that question. Should she just come out and say, _I'm not the same girl I was back then?_ _Or should she just skirt around the issue and try to defend him?_ Honestly she hadn't a clue. Finally she said, "When I met him he looked so sure of everything. Nothing fazed him, not even for a second. And he challenged me in a way that I hadn't been..." _Since you, _her mind screamed. "for a very long time." She said slightly disgusted by her inability to say it.

"He told me once, 'that I couldn't do a casual non-exclusive relationship.' That I wasn't 'that kind of girl.' It made me so angry that I just had to prove him wrong. You know? So we started our little fling and though it wasn't perfect it was fun..."

"But now?" Tristan prompted softly. Still not sure what to think.

"Now I don't know...it just isn't all I expected it to be." Rory answered. _To say the least_, she thought ruefully. "But that's the crux isn't it? We're always disappointed when our expectations don't match up to reality." It was a jaded comment, one that hurt Tristan to hear. He wanted, more than anything to revive her old unfailing optimism.

Tristan had gone to Yale expecting Rory to be the exact same person she had been. It was a selfish, naive belief. People changed constantly, he himself was a testament to that, and he had been a fool to think that she would still be the same person she once had been. He was surprised to learn that despite (or maybe because of her change) he still wanted her more than anything else in the world. This revelation had been a long time coming though. He grinned as he thought of he and Conner's first big 'discussion' on that very topic.

_**FLASHBACK**_

Tristan had been lying on his bed staring blankly at the ceiling, in the room he and Conner shared in military school. The room was quiet, a lull following there most recent fight. Conner was laying on his own bed ice pack pressed against his face, deep in thought.

Casually Conner said, "You wanna know something?" His eyes remained closed.

"Sure," Tristan replied keeping his gazed fixed on the ceiling. .

"I think you're full of shit." Conner simply stated.

Tristan barked with laughter, "Really, what makes you think so?" keeping his voice deceptively light, as though he couldn't care less what his friend thought.

Conner sat up searching Tristan's face for some emotion beyond his usual blank guardedness. "Because you walk around with this facade of toughness and authority. Like you're so remote that nothing touches you. You like to pretend that you're cynical and pessimistic, but in reality you're nothing of the sort."

"How did you draw such and erroneous conclusion?" Tristan asked finally looking at Conner.

"Erroneous, my ass!" Conner said smiling. "Don't worry though, your veneer works most of the time. It's just on occasion that you slip and start to think about her."

"Her?" Tristan asked feigning disbelief. All the while knowing exactly what Conner was talking about. The girl he scarcely allowed himself to think of. The girl with those haunting blue eyes and mocking smile.

"The girl you never talk about, but are so obviously insatiably, head over heels, Romeo and Juliet type of in love with." and after a pause he added, "And don't ask me how I know it's a girl, you wouldn't get that starry eyed look over just anything."

"You want me to blacken the other eye?" Tristan asked wryly. Wondering vaguely how he could be so easy to read. That how despite everything, all of his careful evasion Conner still knew what no one should ever know.

"See you just proved my point! You wouldn't get defensive if I wasn't right. You're tongue mad because you're so easy to read." Conner said laughing.

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

"No," Tristan said softly after a few moments of consideration. "The trick is you're supposed to keep going until you find someone who matches all your expectations, no matter how lofty they are." He kept his eyes carefully averted, afraid they might betray his true feelings and the implications behind them. So he stared instead, at the odd shadows the streetlights cast on the sidewalk bellow.

"But don't you get tired of all that constant waiting and disappointment." Rory said, her voice slightly strained. Leaving no doubt that she knew exactaly what it felt like to be tired and fed up with love.

"Yeah," Tristan said. _You have no idea_. "But that's what makes the whole terrible situation worth it in the end." Hoping his voice was filled with a believable amount of conviction, but doubting it. Conner had been right he wasn't as pessimistic as he'd like to think he was. But that didn't necessarily mean he was an optimist either. Truths be told like so much else in his life it lie somewhere in the infuriating middle. But around Rory, whether she knew it or not, he felt a lot more able to look on the bright side.

"Well aren't you just a Nicholas Sparks novel," Rory said attempting to direct the conversation away from love in any form.

He laughed lightly, "Damn and I was shooting so hard for Dr. Phil."

She grinned genuinely glad to have Tristan with her. He was warm and comforting when he didn't have to be. It was incredibly nice to have someone to talk to who didn't know all her deep dark secrets. "Well I guess that means you'll have to try harder next time."

"I supposed so," Tristan said as they approached Rory's dorm. He was sad to know that they would soon part ways for the night.

"Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Rory said when they reached her door.

"Unless you wanna take me up on an offer of wild passionate sex?" Tristan said leaning against the wall, smirking lecherously.

She laughed, "Now as much fun as that sounds, I think I'll have to pass."

"Can't blame a guy for trying." Tristan said.

"Better luck next time." Rory said grinning and shaking her head, as she opened her door.

"Well G'night Mary," Tristan said.

"Night," She said softly before disappearing behind her door.

Tristan turned and began the path to her own dorm thinking the entire time about Rory Gilmore. Replaying every moment of the past few hours in his head, smiling.

A/N

Please review I want to know your thoughts on my latest chapter. Whether it was disgustingly corny or not.


	3. Honesty's a bitch

"...You mean like the spawn of Satan, epitome of all that is wrong with the world, Tristan?" Lorelai asked quizzically.

"Yeah, but not exactly." Rory said into the phone not quite knowing how to explain. "He's different..."

"Different, how? Like he's now overweight and balding? Or different like he had a lobotomy?" Lorelai asked.

"Ummm neither," Rory replied laughing lightly. She loved how her mother, no matter what the situation could still come up with random witticisms. "I don't know. He just seems like Tristan 2.0." She said running a brush through her thick brown hair.

"What do you mean?" Came the response from the other side of the phone.

"He's more misunderstood protagonist, than avid antihero." Rory said faint traces of strain entering her voice. Honestly she wasn't exactly sure what Tristan was now. And it confused, exasperated, and entertained her all at the same time. She used to be so sure of what he was. He used to be so easy to peg down, but now he wasn't in the least. And she wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing.

"How very vague of you." Lorelai replied wryly after a few beats of silence. "C'mon you have to give me something more than that!" her voice turning whinny in an instant.

Rory laughed again, wondering why this was such an interesting topic for her mother. "Fine! Nothing too exciting, we talked, we got coffee, he met Logan."

Her voice was abruptly cut off by the sound of her mother choking, "He met Logan?"

"Not intentionally, but we were at the bar and Logan kinda showed up." Rory said

"Did he pitch a fit?" Lorelai asked laughter creeping into her voice. It wasn't that she hated Logan. Well not completely, but she couldn't condone a boy who'd hurt Rory as he had. And even if Rory had forgiven him, it didn't mean that she still didn't think about smacking his smug arrogant face whenever he was mentioned.

"No! Well yeah, kinda. When Tristan and I stood up to leave he helped me put my coat on then he grabbed me and gave me this really possessive 'she's mine' kind of kiss." Rory said as she began to apply make-up.

Lorelai could feel her annoyance with Logan grow as the story unfurled. "What did Tristan do?"

"Nothing, though I did hold his hand as we walked out of the bar." Rory replied. Remembering the conversation she and Tristan had after leaving the bar. She wasn't entirely sure why but it made her smile. He'd been sympathetic, no more than that. It felt as though he'd been there, dealt with the same things she now was, and discovered that it all came out okay.

_What brought that on._ Lorelai thought as she smiled at the thought of what Logan's reaction must've been. "So what are you up too now?"

"I promised I'd go out to dinner with Logan tonight." Rory said, "Actually I'd better let you go. He'll be here in fifteen minutes."

"Okay hun, I'll talk to you later, love you." Lorelai replied.

"Love you too, bye." Rory said as she hung up the phone.

Something was different Lorelai thought absently, placing the phone back in the cradle. Rory sounded...sounded animated for lack of a better word. The story she had told about her and Tristan had been told with humor something she hadn't heard from her daughter in a long while. She grinned, feeling as though Rory had just unintentionally let her in on a secret that had yet to be formed.

Rory stared at her refection in the mirror with annoyance. Part of her wanted more than anything to call Logan up and make some lame excuse. But she knew she wouldn't, it would feel too much like taking the easy way out. What had happened? Before last night things had been going so well! _That's not true and you know it!_ Things with Logan had been far from perfect, but they'd been interesting at the very least. But now? Now she didn't know what she thought. Rory ran a hand through her once perfect hair in exasperation. Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of her doorbell.

"Hello Ace," Logan said smirking as he handed her bouquet of lilies. He was leaning against the door frame looking as charming as humanly possible. But under that smug smile lie something else. Elusive though it was, she could almost feel his calm assurance. Like he knew that a polite smile and cleverly placed compliment could get her to forget everything that had transpired the night previous.

" Thank you. Come in," Rory said automatically forcing a smile. "They're lovely I'll just put them in some water and we can go." She turned and entered the kitchen. Feeling vaguely like a character in a play, delivering the same lines as always, lines she'd been saying for so long they no longer sounded like words.

"I thought I should apologize for last night," Logan said smoothly, following her into the dorm. "I think I overreacted with Tristan last night. You know how jealous I get and well..I'm sorry. feigning a sincerity that both of them knew was bullshit. He placed his hand on her arm in a way that he must have thought would seem soothing. (It failed beautifully.)

Rory pulled a vase from the cabinet and tried to keep her voice even as she said, "You have no right to be jealous Logan. I'm not your girlfriend, remember?" She kept her eyes on the flowers as she put the flowers in the vase with a painstaking slowness.

If Logan was shocked by her remark his voice did not betray it, " I know," he said softly, "I think that's something we should rectify."

"Would you still be saying that if it weren't for Tristan?" Rory asked as she turned toward him.

"Of course, Rory." Logan said as a slow smile crept across his face, "I've been wanting to ask you for a while. But last night I knew that I had to do it before someone else did."

"No," was Rory's reply, "At least not yet. If you want me half as much as you seem too, then you won't mind waiting. I don't want you to ask me to be your girlfriend just because some other guy might. So prove it, prove you want me because of me, but until then the answer is no." Rory said.

It was the first time she'd been honest with him like that. And she truly didn't care what his response was. She was just glad that she'd finally said what she couldn't before.

"Okay," Logan said, "If that's what you need then I'll give it to you." (Sorry I threw up a little bit in my mouth)

"I think I'm gonna take a rain check on dinner." Rory said. "We both need to have a night off, I'll call you tomorrow." He nodded, turned to go, then looked back. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he kissed her.

Slowly he pulled back, "Goodnight Ace," he said as he smiled and left the dorm. Closing the door as he left. She watched the door for a few moments after he left, lost in thought.

She then grabbed her purse and began to dig through it. Removing her cell phone she looked up the phone number of the person she wanted to talk to more than anyone else in the world. Taking one last look at the flowers as she pressed the send button.

"Hey Tristan, it's Rory. Do you mind if I come over?"

A/N

Yeah I know it took forever. I'm so sorry, but I wanted to make sure it was right. Please review I need need need them. Please!!!!!


	4. At least for now

A/N

Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me, and my annoyingly slow pace. As always I beg for your reviews. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!! Alright now that I've lost the faint bit of respect you still held for me lets get on with the story...

"Come in, I put the coffee on when you called." Tristan said, handing her a cup, as she entered the door.

Rory smiled appreciatively, holding the cup up to her face feeling the steam. "Thanks," She said sitting down on the couch, tucking her feet beneath her. Tristan was one of the lucky few to get a single, which meant of course slightly smaller dorm, but it was all his own. The place was cozy filled with pictures and odds and ends of a part of him she was just barely beginning to know. Definitely masculine, though not overly so, the dorm seemed as full of contradictions as its owner was.

He walked into the kitchenette and poured himself a cup. Studying her drawn face and tired eyes, he contemplated the reason for her coming. Before he sat on the chair, that was placed on the left side of the couch Rory now occupied. Recognizing instinctively that the last thing she needed then was him trying to come on to her. "So you wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Talk about what?" Rory asked feigning confusion, yet refusing to look him in the eyes. Choosing instead to focus on the cup in front of her as though it held all the answers she didn't want to share.

"Whatever it is that's giving you that drained, Michelle Branch song kind of look." He replied simply, smiling.

She looked at him over the brim of her cup, glad that he was the one she had chosen to go to. Rory wasn't sure why but something about him just radiated strength and understanding. Like even when things were going completely to shit, he'd still be there with a joke and a shoulder to lean on. _You've only known the boy what, two days?_ But strangely though that thought was an undeniable fact it didn't seem to matter like it should've. "I had a talk with Logan tonight."

_Oh, boy! Wonder what Romeo did. _Tristan thought cynically. "What happened?" He asked in his best concerned friend voice. Trying his best to ignore the anger that held a vice grip around his throat from the moment Logan's name had been spoken.

Rory sighed, still not exactly sure what had occurred just an hour ago. "We planned to go out tonight, but when he got to my place to pick me up...Things were so...weird."

"You mean to tell me that you've been going to Yale for two years now and the only adjective you can come up with is weird?' Tristan asked teasingly.

She grinned and threw a pillow at him. "Shut up, you wanna hear my story or not?"

He caught the flying projectile and place it in his lap. Then held his hands up in submission. "I'll behave."

"Okay then. He came in all apologetic and sweet. Hell he even brought me flowers! Saying he was sorry for last night, and how he gets so jealous sometimes..." Rory said. Tristan bit back a smile knowingly, _ahhh so he's smart enough to know he screwed up with his possessive act, good for him. _

"and then he asked me if I would be his girlfriend." _Well played, instead of fighting me for Rory he removed the objective. Well played, _he couldn't help but thinkTristan felt as though he'd been punch in the gut. The air in his lungs simply vanished, as his mind began to work in hyper drive. He felt like he was running down the long corridors of his brain in a blind panic. Wondering vaguely if he was showing any sign of the pain he was now feeling.

Rory searched his carefully blank face for emotion. Though she wasn't sure why she felt like it was criticalthat she know what he was feeling. After what seemed an eternity she said "I told him no, not yet. I said that if he really wanted me he could wait for me to figure things out. And make sure he was legit"

Tristan smiled visibly relieved "Why'd you do that?" he asked knowing that answer was vitally important.

"Well we both know that the only reason he asked me was because he saw you as a threat."She said as she brushed a strand of hair back from her face. He was proud of her for seeing through Logan in a way that so many girls seemed incapable of doing. She had seen his ploy for what it was, and moreover she had called him on it.

"Rory," Tristan said after a few beats of silence, knowing that this wasn't the best time for what he was about to say. _But it might be the only time._

"Yes Tristan?" Rory said mocking Tristan's too serious tone. Trying mightily to lighten his suddenly sober mood. She wasn't entirely certain why but the tone of his voice was unnerving.

"Logan has every right to see me as a threat." Tristan started, "This isn't exactly the most idyllic time for this I'm sure. But what once was a seemingly vast window of opportunity is shrinking rapidly." He paused, uncertain, unsteady, "And so I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out on a date with me?" He said the last part so softly it was almost inaudible.

Rory smiled shocked at the timing, though not altogether surprised by the declaration itself. Had she been a third party in this conversation his words would seem comical. Here he was Tristan Dugrey former big man on campus desperate for a date. "Sure, I'd like that." She said finally.

"Ha I knew it was only a matter of time till you succumbed to my charms!" Tristan said grinning, recovering quickly from his dazed state. Feeling as though a crisis had been narrowly but not entirely averted.

"I guess you could say that. If you consider being utterly pathetic charming." Rory replied easily.

"It worked, didn't it?" Tristan said.

"Touche." Rory replied conceding. She loved this easy repartee that they feel into so easily. The quickness in which he was able to divert attention from an awkward situation was spellbinding.

"How about tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sounds good." Rory asked, "So what now?" she asked after a few beats of silence.

"Well we do have the place all to ourselves." Tristan said grinning lecherously, starting toward her.

Rory batted him away playfully, "You're not that charming!"

"Or there's always TV." he stated feigning disappointment and dejection.

"Only if there's popcorn." Rory said.

The couple set in for a night of watching bad made for TV movies. They took turns commenting on the actors horrific attempts at being dramatic and ripping apart the cheesy lines. It was by no means a remarkable way to pass the night, and felt to both of them as the calm before the storm.

Both of them knew that what was about occur was going to be epic and heady. In the next few days everything was going to change, that though unavoidable was disconcerting. So they took advantage of the night, pushing all the scary little thoughts that were bound to surface eventually out of their minds, at least for a while.


End file.
